2012 - 2014 were the most difficult years of my life. In 2012, a routine gastric bypass surgery developed into life-threatening complications, several emergency surgeries, weeks spent intubated in the ICU, and months of hospital stay. It took almost 2 full years for me to recover. In 2014, I had an aortic valve replacement surgery. My chest was cracked open, my heart was stopped and put on bypass, then everything got put back together without any major issues.